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  • Essay / Personal Response: “How to Live to Be 200” by Stephen...

    As Francis Bacon once said: “A healthy body is a guest room for the soul; a sick body is a prison” (Quote World). In his quote, Bacon explains how people should relieve stress in order to live a healthy life. Using this quote, it is used to represent how people should not be obsessed with their health habits. Should we now let ourselves be captivated by our health habits? In Stephen Leacock's essay, "How to Live to Be 200", Leacock's arguments are compelling because he develops a sarcastic tone when making satirical statements and uses rhetorical devices, allowing readers to establish personal connections. In Leacock's essay, his arguments are valid because he conclusively ridicules the fact that people should not be too obsessed with health. For example, Leacock states, “And after all their turmoil, they contract a simple old-fashioned disease and die like everyone else” (13). From this example, Leacock implies that it is not guaranteed that people will live longer even if they remain physically healthy. As a result, it shows how people should just live and enjoy life normally because everyone is going to die one day. Then, another reason why Leacock's arguments are adequate is the sarcastic tone he adopts. For example, Leacock says: “And just a word about fresh air and exercise. Don't bother with one or the other. . . don’t keep using your lungs all the time” (27). From this example, a sarcastic tone sets in because we all know that we need fresh air and our lungs to function in order to survive. Using this sarcastic tone, it is used to criticize the idea that people should not spend the majority of their lives doing pointless activities.O...... middle of paper ......at heart disease. Based on this example, this is close to Leacock's essay as it is used to interpret that regardless of an individual's health status, it is not always guaranteed that they will live longer . Therefore, although it is important to stay healthy, it is also important to add value to our life by doing things we love. In conclusion, Leacock's arguments are powerful through his use of rhetorical devices such as anecdote which allows readers to develop personal connections. . Additionally, using a sarcastic tone not only helps entertain readers but also helps expose the misconception that members of society should not be too obsessed with health. Overall, in Leacock's essay, the use of rhetorical devices allows him to establish a satirical tone that admits that his arguments are influential in his essay..